Traditions
by boshrocks
Summary: Summer after 6th year. Hermione is forced to spend the holiday with the one person she can't stand...up til now that is. How will she fare at Malfoy Manor? i suck at summaries...the story is way better than it sounds. rating will probably go up later
1. Chapter 1

The golden trio stared as Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy stalked past them on their way up the marble staircase.

"What the hell are they doing here?" Ron asked from his seat on the banister.

The other two shrugged and looked puzzled as Draco Malfoy came and stood nearby staring up the stairs at his parents retreating backs. Slowly he met the eyes of the trio.

"Do you know why they're here?" he asked them.

"You tell us, they're your parents." Harry said.

"I wish I could, Potter, I really wish I could."

There was one week left of their sixth year and the announcement of the new Head Girl and Boy were imminent.

"Maybe you got head boy, and Dumbledore wanted to see your parents about it. Maybe he doesn't think you're responsible enough for the job."

"Or maybe you're not pleasant enough for it."

"Shut up, you goons." Draco snapped whilst Harry and Ron laughed and slapped a high five. Hermione rolled her eyes at her best friends, causing Draco to snigger in turn.

"You boys are morons." Hermione said leaving the entrance hall. A moment later Draco caught up with her. She looked at him in surprise but said nothing. They wandered down to the lake and she sat under her favourite willow tree. It was a nice day and the sun was streaming through the leaves making her hair shine.

"Who do you reckon'll get heads this year?" he asked casually and sitting beside her.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him simply because he was talking to her as though she was a friend. "I don't know."

"Smart money's on you for Head Girl. But Head Boy is a bit trickier."

"You don't think you'll get it?"

"No. Even I wouldn't pick me." Draco laughed and Hermione chuckled.

"Harry probably. He is the headmasters favourite."

"That sounded a bit bitter. Are you?"

Hermione looked at Draco curiously. "A little."

They sat in silence for a while.

"Do you mind me asking you something Malfoy?"

"Fire away."

"Why are you talking to me?"

Draco snorted. "What d'you mean?"

"Why are you being so nice? I mean, it's you. I didn't think you were capable of being nice."

"To be fair, we don't really know anything about each other. I see you as the know-it-all, mousy bookworm who hangs out with Potter and makes lovey-dovey eyes at Potter and Weasel. And presumably you see me as the hunky Slytherin sex god who has seen the error of his ways and returned to the good side."

"I think you mean the arrogant son-of-a-bitch, who picks on me and my friends constantly, but still believes that he is right in every way."

Draco thought about it. He tilted his head to one side and bit his lip. After a little pause he shrugged and nodded. "That's a really good summation."

Hermione couldn't help her laughter as it poured out of her. He looked slightly offended and she clamped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to rein it in.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy came out of the school and, seeing their son and Hermione getting on so well, Draco fancied he could see them smile. They made their way over to them.

"Draco, the headmaster would like to see both you and Miss Granger immediately." Lucius said smiling rather than smirking.

"Miss Granger, we look forward to seeing you next week." Narcissa said warmly, causing Hermione's jaw to drop open. Draco saw this and gently closed it for her. She seemed to wake up and slapped his hand away. Narcissa actually giggled. This time Hermione's jaw dropped open and Draco's eyes grew very wide.

Laughing the Malfoys left their shocked son and left the school.

About an hour later Hermione stumbled into the Gryffindor common room looking very pale and in shock. Harry, Ron and Ginny, who were gathered around empty fireplace, jumped up and rushed to her aid. They manoeuvred her into her favourite chair and clustered around her asking her what was wrong.

"I got head girl." She managed.

"That's good news Hermione. You should be thrilled. Why aren't you thrilled?"

"Because of who the head boy is."

Ron and Ginny shared a look. "You've got to spend the next thirteen months with him. And he's dreadful, right?" Ginny said.

"He's worse. He's Malfoy."

"Malfoy!"

Hermione nodded grimly.

"Hang on, you guys said thirteen months…the school year's only ten months. Where did the other three come from?"

"Harry, you still don't know much about the wizarding world. At Hogwarts there is a tradition where the head girl and boy spend the summer together before their year as heads."

"You've got to spend the summer with Malfoy?!"

"Yeah, at Malfoy Manor."

"Write every few days." Harry ordered. "Let us know the second something bad happens to you and we'll come and get you."

"I can take care of myself. I'll see if they let me come visit you at the Burrow."

"We can tell you now, that's impossible. Tradition. It has to be the whole summer. Something about getting to know each other." Ron said.

"But we can visit you."

"If they let you."

"A bet you'll have lots of functions to go to." Ginny said.

"I'll see if you guys can warrant an invite to them if there are."

"Nice try, but in case you hadn't noticed, the Malfoys move in very different circles to us. But hey, the good news is, if they like you they'll pay for everything."

"Ginny." Hermione said sternly.

"You'll see what I mean. I'm sure they'll explain it to you."


	2. Chapter 2

A week later Hermione sat on the Hogwarts Express slightly gloomily. Her summer wasn't looking good. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville looked at her in concern.

"She's been like this all day." Ginny said.

"Mione? Are you alright?" Harry asked gently putting a hand on her knee.

"I'll be fine. I'll just have a lonely summer I suppose."

"Practice your music, we want a full concert when we get back."

"If I have to practice then you lot definitely do. Lion Spirit needs work."

They all chuckled but agreed.

"Dumbledore says we can play at the Yule Ball next term." Harry said pulling out a red folder with Lion Spirit written on the front with a copy of the Gryffindor crest and a roaring lion on the front. He flicked through it and then stopped and pulled out a page. "What's this? A new song?"

Hermione grabbed the folder. "It's just a song I'm working on."

"What's it about?"

"Romeo and Juliet. But in today's world." Hermione smiled holding a hand out for the loose sheet of paper. Harry silently passed it over.

"Cool. Can't wait to hear it."

"It's nothing. It's still a work in progress. And I'm not much good when it comes to writing songs."

"What are you talking about? You're amazing at it. What about Black Knight…or Shining Star?" Ron said from beside her.

"Let's not forget Dancing In The Rain and Bewitched. My favourite two to sing." Harry smiled charmingly.

"Personally I prefer Golden Slumbers Of Nargles." Luna said dreamily.

"Didn't you write that?" Ginny snapped. "Lune, we're talking about our favourite songs written by Hermione."

"I know that. My one from her is Chocolate World."

"Any girl who's heard that song agrees." Ginny chuckled and the rest joined her as the train started to slow down signalling their arrival at King's Cross.

"I like Fading Dreams myself." Neville piped up as they started collecting their belongings.

"That song made me so depressed. I'll write some more songs this summer and we can start practicing them back at school. If the lyric muse descends for you guys at the burrow send me the lyrics and I'll try and work out some music." Hermione smiled handing Crookshanks basket to Ginny.

"None of us can write music except you, but words come easy enough." Harry said.

They stepped down onto the platform with the throngs of other students. Draco fought his way over to them and told her to get a move on and to follow him.

"Keep your hair on, I'm coming. Let me say goodbye first."

"Lets get through the barrier before all that happens." He demanded walking away. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed with the Lions in tow.

Once they were in sight of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy Hermione stopped and turned back to her friends. She kissed them all round and gave each of them a hug while Draco shot her a jealous look before shouting at her to get a move on. Laughing she detached herself from Harry who didn't seem to want to let her go and went to join the Malfoys.

She shook hands with Lucius and Narcissa.

"You can apparate, can't you?" Lucius asked not unkindly.

"Of course. But I don't know where Malfoy Manor is."

"We'll guide you. Keep a firm hold on that trunk and take my arm." Lucius gallantly offered his arm.

A moment later they were standing outside a large gothic mansion.

"Wow." Hermione said simply as Lucius went forward to unlock the front door.

"Wait 'til you see inside." Draco said walking past without his trunk.

"What about your trunk?"

"The house elves will get it. Leave yours. Trust me, its better to have them magically get it up the stairs rather than you having to drag it up three flights of stairs and damage the wallpaper."

Hermione laughed and left hers standing.

"Miss Granger, we thought we'd put you in the bedroom opposite Draco's. That way if you get lost you can find him easily." Narcissa said kindly with a sweet smile.

"Am I likely to get lost?"

"Very easily. Draco, why don't you show her up and give her the briefing?"

Draco shrugged. "Alright. Come on Granger."

He led the way up to the third floor where there was a dark corridor with rooms on either side. About halfway along was a pair of doors with big gaps of wall on either side of them indicating large rooms.

"That one's mine and this other one is yours." He indicated the door on the left which had a poster of the Slytherin crest, and then at the one opposite. Hermione pushed the door open and went in.

It was a large room decorated in red and black. A queen sized double bed stood against one wall, a red sofa with matching coffee table stood against another. A beautiful large wardrobe and matching chest of drawers was against a third wall and a writing desk and chair on the fourth along with a door that Draco told her led to an en suite bathroom. There was also a bookcase full of discarded books.

Draco then showed her his room which was laid out the same but in green and black. It was also a lot more personal. There were posters on the walls and Slytherin banners and scarves. A wireless stood on a little side table and a bookcase full of books stood nearby.

They went back into Hermione's room and found her trunk sitting on the bed waiting to be unpacked. She crossed to it and opened it. Draco was surprised to see that the first things she unpacked were guitars one acoustic and the other a stylish red Gibson Les Paul SG.

"What?" she asked when she realised he had been staring.

"I didn't know you played guitar."

"I sing too. And I can play piano decently. You don't know much about me, remember."

He let her continue unpacking in silence for a while and then remembered something. "I have to run through procedure with you."

"Go ahead." She replied setting up a small gramophone on a side table and putting her box of records on the floor next to it.

"Dinner is formal, and we have to dress up for it. Not quite evening gown but no trousers for girls. I have to wear a suit for it, and you could get away with a neat dress or skirt suit. Daytimes are casual and there's plenty to do around here. We have lots of fancy do's during the summer which you will also have to attend, and theres another thing."

"What?"

"The Coming Of Age Ball."

"What's that?"

"Wizards of a certain class have a coming out party in the summer. It's a fancy ball put on just for those who came of age that school year. As both of us did we will have one, as well as having to attend Blaise Zambini's and, unfortunately, Pansy Parkinson's."

"She can't be that bad."

"She's worse."

"I don't have anything nice enough for that kind of thing." Hermione said unpacking her old silver dress robes and hanging them up.

"Mother will take you shopping tomorrow, and dad and me too."

"What's wrong with that?" Hermione sensed his gloom.

"She's a maniac when she shops. Dad and I hate going shopping with her but it's a tradition for the first day of the summer holidays."

"Wizards and their traditions." Hermione rolled her eyes not noticing Draco picking something out of her trunk behind her and slip out of her room.


	3. Chapter 3

Everything was unpacked but Hermione couldn't find one very important thing.

Her diary was missing.

She decided to look for it later, right now she had to get ready for supper. She put a record of Frank Sinatra on her gramophone and soon The Way You Look Tonight was being crooned at her by the master crooner.

Shrugging on her red and dark brown knee length dress she danced a little as she sang along using the hairbrush which was supposed to be brushing her hair, as a microphone. She slipped on the little gold and ruby necklace that Harry had given her for her seventeenth birthday and continued dancing.

She became aware of sniggering by the door. She spun on the spot and her skirt swished a little around her. Draco stood there leaning on the doorframe in a black suit with a red shirt. He looked quite handsome.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You, Miss Granger. I've never seen anything so ridiculous."

She laughed briefly and bit her lip. "Haven't you ever done this?"

"Done what? Make myself look stupid?"

"No. Put on some of your favourite music and just let yourself go in the music."

"Sounds dorky."

Hermione laughed again. "It's not. It's fun. Anyway who cares if you're acting like a dork, you're having fun."

"What happened to the prissy bookworm who hit me three years ago?"

"She grew up. Look, I dare you to try losing yourself in music this summer."

"You dare me? Is this a game?"

"Yes, Draco. Gryffindors have their traditions too. I have spent most of the past five summers playing Dare with Harry and Ron. Ginny too when she can stop snogging a different guy every week. Then she started snogging Harry on a regular basis so she joins in a lot."

"You spend your summers playing dare?" Draco tried not to snigger at her. He was even doing his best not to smirk.

"You are allowed to smirk you know." Hermione returned his smirk.

"We better head down to dinner before mother has the house elves searching the house and grounds for us." letting himself smirk.

Hermione laughed and led the way out.

"So what started this tradition?" he asked casually helping her down a trick step. "Sorry, this house is almost as old as Hogwarts and is built in the same style."

"I'm sure your dad will fill me in. Dare started as Truth or Dare, something to get to know each other better and see how far we could push each other. After about three years we realised that we knew everything about each other and so we dropped the Truth bit and stuck with the Dares since they caused so much entertainment for all of us."

"What kind of things did you make each other do then?" Draco asked.

"Oh the old things; prank Snape, booby trap the Slytherin common room, streak through the ministry of magic without getting caught. That kind of thing."

"The three of you streaked through the ministry?" Draco asked incredulously.

"One of us did. Nudity was a running theme for quite a lot of dares."

"YOU streaked through the ministry?" Draco stopped outside the dining room door with his hand on the door handle.

"To be fair I made Harry and Ron streak through Daigon Alley a week later. That got all of us in the prophet and we had a good old giggle over the photographs."

"Draco, are you going to bring our guest in to dinner or would you prefer to eat out in the hallway?" Lucius Malfoy's voice said from the open door of the dining room. Smirking at the look of astonishment on Draco's face Hermione passed Lucius and entered the huge elegant dinning room.

Standing by her chair at one end of the long banquet table was Narcissa in a pretty red cocktail dress. Lucius helped her into her seat while Draco stood dumbly by his, having been forcibly dragged there by his father. Hermione noticed that Lucius was wearing a dark red velvet smoking jacket. She noticed a theme.

Lucius went to his seat at the head of the table and discreetly cleared his throat. Draco woke up enough to help Hermione to her seat beside him opposite Narcissa. Hermione let him without question.

"How did you find the exams this year, Miss Granger? I heard they were causing difficulties this year." Narcissa asked as a couple of house elves brought in plates of smoked salmon and blini's.

"They were an absolute doddle. I don't know why everyone makes such a fuss of them."

"I thought you might say that. From what I know of you you've been top of your year since you arrived at the school." Lucius smiled at her.

"Ron Weasley couldn't figure out how a muggle born could be so smart, but Harry reckons I might be a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"It's likely. She had a very extensive family. If you would like to investigate it this summer you are welcome to our library. We have genealogies of the four founders which update themselves every generation."

"Thank you sir. I will definitely try that."

"Good." Lucius smiled and then turned to his wife and tried to talk her out of the shopping trip the following day.

Hermione meanwhile turned to Draco, who was picking at his salmon in confusion. "What's with you?" she tried not to chuckle.

"I'm just re-evaluating my opinion of you and your friends." Hermione laughed at him and then tried to stop herself at his mock glare. "I just never would have thought you'd do that kind of thing."

"You really don't know much about me. And you never tried to find out. You have this picture of me and my friends in your head and it's hard for you to imagine us as real people. And because of this picture of us you think we'd never do anything that broke the rules. It may surprise you to learn that in the history of the school, at least in this century, the Golden Trio ranks third in the tally of rule breaking en masse."

"Who comes first and second?"

"The Weasley twins and the Marauders. Ironic, isn't it, when you consider that all of them are Gryffindors not Slytherins."

"That can't be right."

Hermione chuckled. "Nevertheless it's true. We had to break rules. You can't save the world without breaking a few rules along the way."

"Do you realise how depressed you've made me?" Draco almost snapped making Hermione laugh.

Narcissa also chuckled. "It is strange how over the years Gryffindors turn out to be more rebellious than we ever did."

"Why do you think that is?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Maybe the expectation to do the right thing all the time and to be good all the time, as is expected for Gryffindors, triggers a reverse reaction. Also I don't think hormones help much."

Hermione snorted. "I'm with you there. They always get in the way don't they?"


	4. Chapter 4

As Draco helped Hermione out of her seat after the meal was over he whispered "Come with me tonight."

"Where?"

"The lake. Midnight. I'll show you the secret passage."

Hermione shot him a very puzzled look as he handed her to his mother who led her towards the large elegant living room. It was a beautiful room with graceful settees and chez-longes. Her eye was drawn to a handsome black grand piano in one corner of the room.

"Nice isn't it?" Narcissa asked walking over to it. "I used to play it. I would come over every day as a child and Lucius would always sit and watch me play. He said no one played like I did, but then he didn't know anyone else who played, except his grandmother. The piano's been in the house for generations, but neither of my boys ever learnt."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Hermione giggled and then joined Narcissa at the piano. She ran her hands over the keys.

"Do you play?"

"Yes. It was the first instrument I learnt. We had an old piano at home but it was so old and hadn't been tuned for decades, and by then no amount of tuning would ever get it's voice back. I still played it though, forcing or coaxing the notes out. Trying to make it play for me. No matter how bad it sounded, I still fell in love with the music."

"It's not exactly hard is it?" Narcissa smiled, looking through the box of music books tucked away in a corner behind the instrument.

"Then, when I was eight, my grandfather took the old one away and replaced it. It wasn't much but it had more feeling than the old one."

"Why don't you play something for me?"

"Alright." Hermione said softly, seating herself at the piano. She began to play a sweet soft little melody.

"What is that?" Narcissa whispered, not wanting to break the moment.

"A theme song, from one of my favourite muggle films; The Secret Garden." She replied softer still and closed her eyes playing the song from memory. Narcissa watched her carefully.

"It's pretty." She said as Hermione finished. "Can you play any Mozart?"

"Have you got his piano sonatas?"

"Of course. Which one?"

"Number eleven."

Narcissa looked worried. "Are you sure? I've been trying to play it for years but I can't. Are you sure you can?"

"This summer I'll teach you how to play it." Hermione smiled as Narcissa placed the music on the stand for her. She began to play it and Narcissa's mouth dropped open at the speed of Hermione's fingers on the keys.

A sharp intake of breath from the doorway made Narcissa turn around. Her husband and son stood there watching Hermione with their mouths hanging open. Hermione played on without noticing them.

The three of them applauded as she finished and she looked up startled, blushing at the men.

"That was amazing." Draco said leading them forward to the piano.

"I haven't heard it played that well since my grandmother played it." Lucius said admiringly.

"Thank you. It's one of my favourite pieces."

Lucius chuckled kindly and clicked his fingers. A house elf came in and served them coffee. "At the Coming of Age Ball you must play something."

"Oh yes, please do!" Narcissa enthused. "It would be lovely to show off your talent."

"I don't know." Hermione said hesitantly.

"You'd be proving a point." Draco put in.

"Which is?"

"That muggle-borns have talent. Several of my parent's friends seem to think that they can't do anything."

"They do?" Hermione's eyes flashed.

"Are you surprised?"

"Not even a little." She almost snapped making Draco snigger and his parents try not to.

"Come and sit down." Narcissa took Hermione by the hand and led her to one of the settees by the fireplace. Draco and his father sat on the one opposite. "You will teach me some more pieces won't you? I'm not very good."

"If you played every day you must be good. But if you want my help then I cannot refuse."

"Have you taught much music?" Lucius asked her.

"You could say that. I founded a band. I also play guitar and drums and sing. I don't like playing the drums but someone had to learn to teach Ron. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. A couple of years ago I formed a band called Lion Spirit. I taught my friends the instruments, wrote songs, manage them, and sing and play lead guitar and vocal."

"That explains the guitars." Draco smiled.

"We don't get many shows, but we get the odd one. Dumbledore said we could play at the Yule Ball next term."

"I look forward to it. So who else is in it?" Draco asked.

"Ron and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and myself."

"The Fellowship of Light." Draco said nodding. "That should be your name."

"I'll consult the others." Hermione chuckled.

"Can you dance Hermione?" Lucius asked curiously.

"Only on ice."

"Explain." Narcissa asked.

"There's a muggle sport called ice skating. It can take many forms. There's the violent ice hockey which will take about a week to explain fully, but as I didn't play that then I won't bother. The other main kind of competitive skating is figure skating. It's graceful, and elegant and dancing on the ice. You can do it by yourself or with a partner. If you want one night I'll freeze the lake for you and show you. I competed a bit."

"Where did you find time to do this?"

"School work was so easy I had a lot of spare time. There was an ice rink near my home and I'd go there after school to get away."

"I have an idea." Draco said suddenly in the pause that followed Hermione's words. The others looked at him with mock expressions of worry on their faces. "Nothing like that, but it'll take some planning. Hermione, do you have what you need to perform on the ice?"

"No. I outgrew my skates years ago."

"We can go buy some tomorrow. You'd best go to bed early, it's going to be a long day." Lucius said earning himself a glare from his wife. Hermione and Draco said goodnight and left the room.

"That was a whole side of you I've never seen before." Draco said as they crossed the hall.

"It felt a little like an interrogation. But a gentle one." She added quickly as Draco shot her a look.

"They get like that round people they don't really know. Social thing. So do you remember any of your ice routines?"

"A few. Why? And how do you know about routines? I don't think I mentioned them."

Draco paused and Hermione stopped beside him. She could have sworn that he was blushing. "I used to skate too. My parents don't know about it. There was a rink, years ago, about two miles away. It was a good escape from my parents."

"I know the feeling. Is the rink still there?"

"I think it's closed down." Draco said continuing up the stairs. "We could go check though. We could fly over."

"I'm not so fond of flying."

"Or we could apparate there. I could guide you."

"Okay. But first we have to survive this shopping trip."

Draco groaned.

"Draco, how good at skating were you?"

"Pretty good. I can do a few jumps. How about you?"

"If I was competing I would be on a junior level."

"What's that?"

"It's one level below Olympic level."

Draco thought about it. "That's pretty good. How many routines would you be willing to do in one evening?"

"By myself? I could probably do three or four, five a stretch. But I'd have to get back into training."

"And would you be willing to skate with me?"

"Doubles? We'd have to see how good you were and if you could lift me."

"That's a no brainer. I'm really strong and you're really light. Shouldn't be a problem. Ah here we are." They came to the corridor with their rooms. Draco pointed out a paining next to his room depicting a sceptical looking man. "Uncle Scorpius, could you open up please?" Draco asked him. The man shrugged and swung forwards like the Fat Lady did at Hogwarts revealing a secret passage. "At midnight go down it and I'll meet you out there."

"Out where?"

"The lake. This leads down to the kitchen."

"Is this a prank, Malfoy?"

"Not at all." He attempted to look offended. Despite herself Hermione laughed. "Shut up. Just meet me there at midnight." he closed the portrait hole and stomped into his room. She sniggered and went into her own room.


	5. Chapter 5

At midnight Hermione stuck her head out of the door and checked the corridor. It was empty except for a house elf dusting a big Chinese vase on one end of the corridor.

"You saw nothing." Hermione told it when it looked up at her and raised it's eyebrows at her. It nodded and continued working. Hermione went to the painting and asked the man to open up for her. "Lumos. Okay here goes. Although why I'm trusting Malfoy I'll never know."

"I would dear." The man in the painting said to her. "He's the most trustworthy Malfoy in generations."

"Thanks." Hermione said shortly and entered the secret passage.

It was dank and dark and creepy. She walked on and fancied that the slope went downwards. Suddenly she ran out of ground and went shooting down a slide that twisted and turned. Eventually she came to the end of it and landed heavily on an old mattress.

"Okay, ow." She said standing up and looking around the large old kitchen. There was no sign of Draco so she headed for a door. It turned out to be a pantry.

"Alright. Let's see what's behind door number two." She went to another door and found that it led outside. "Bingo." She stepped outside and felt her breath catch in her throat from the cold air. She made her way down to where she could see the lake. She was beginning to regret her decision to only wear a jumper over her t-shirt and jeans.

When she got to the lake she walked along it away from the house until she came across a smallish pier which had an oil lamp balancing on a pile near the waters edge. But there was no sign of Draco.

A cloak was slipped around her shoulders and looking down she saw a Slytherin crest. She smiled. "Hello Draco." Turning she saw him smiling at her. "So, what was that idea you had after dinner?"

"I thought we could do something different this year. A performance, if you will."

"Skating?" she asked as they walked to the end of the pier and sat down.

"That's part of it. We could do some dances on ice, and you could play piano and sing. We can bring the piano out here no problem. As part of the Coming of Age Ball, since we're both important people in the school. Another tradition, I'm afraid."

"So many traditions. Tell me about this one."

"The Coming of Age Ball is a big deal anyway, but when the guest of honour is going to be the Head Boy or Girl, it calls for a bigger deal. I'm talking afternoon to evening to early hours of the morning."

"You wizards certainly know how to party. So what you're suggesting is, make it a show?"

"Yeah. Since both of us are going to be the Heads next year it's a huge deal. Besides I want to show you off."

"But it can't be Hermione Appreciation Ball, as nice as that would be. What are you going to do? Other than dancing on ice with me."

"A few solo dances on the ice. You'd be surprised at how well I can dance. I can also act, so we could do some acting scenes. I know you can act, I know you keep secrets from your friends."

"Like what?"

"Skating. Not the music since you have the band, and I know there's other stuff."

"Can you sing?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"A bit."

"It's a start. Want to sing some duets with me?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"There's a few wonderful ones in musicals. My favourite is from Annie Get Your Gun. I think it's appropriate for us."

"Why? What's it called?"

"Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." Hermione smirked. "It's funny, it, let's face it, suits us, and we can act in it. The guy doesn't have a lot of hard singing parts but the woman has to hit horribly high notes and hold a note for about thirty seconds, which in singing terms is quite a long time."

"Think you can do it?"

"Community theatre I was Annie in Annie Get Your Gun."

"When was that?"

"Christmas of third year. When I got my attitude."

"I remember. You actually gave me a bruise."

"I'm sorry, but you do have a talent for winding me up."

"You rose to the bait. And I know I was wrong. I'm sorry for everything."

"I'm sorry I hit you. You caught me on a really bad day."

"I figured. But I thought you didn't get bad days."

Hermione chuckled. "You really have no idea. I have horrible days, I just don't show it. between Harry and Ron and all the work I have to do to raising them, and the trouble they get me in, it's a wonder I haven't lost my mind completely."

"Why?"

"Every year we've had to face huge danger for which I get no credit for. I've had to proof read all their essays before they hand them in so they don't fail. Okay so I mostly have to do that for Ron but Harry's not exactly the sharpest nail in the box either. I'm the one they come to when they need to vent, and I have to play peacemaker when they get into a fight."

"If they cause you so much stress, why do you hang out with them?"

"They're my friends. And friendship isn't easy. You have to work at it. We have a pretty honest friendship and it's not a smooth ride because of it. You're lucky your friends are both morons."

"Crabbe and Goyle, yes they're morons, and I know what you mean about tutoring. I have to teach them everything. You know it took Goyle two years to even levitate a feather?"

"No way? Even Ron's better at magic than that."

"I know. They're almost squibs."

Hermione laughed and they talked for the rest of the night. They planned the show and became friends. They played Truth or Dare and discovered that they were very similar in personality. Eventually they fell asleep on the pier together with Hermione using Draco as her pillow and him using her as his blanket.

Narcissa came out and saw them before putting a blanket over them and smiling at them warmly before heading back to the house with the thought to put the shopping trip back a few hours.


	6. Chapter 6

_Dear Harry,_

_So many things have happened since yesterday. Merlin, it seems like forever since I've seen you. Your worries were a bit unfounded though. The Malfoys are being really nice to me. And we get on so well. Draco especially. If Ron starts getting jealous, just tell him that there is nothing between us anymore! And there hardly was to begin with._

_We have just got back from the Malfoy traditional first day of the holidays shopping trip, and my god Narcissa can shop! My feet hurt so bad! We started at nine this morning, and finished about eight at night! _

_At the end of the summer we are planning something called a Coming of Age Ball, which apparently is a tradition in the wizarding world in wizarding families from a higher class. Stop rolling your eyes, Harry! It's going to be a long thing and I'm working to get you and the Weasleys invited, but don't hold your breath for it. Because Draco and I are going to be Head Boy and Girl next year it's a big deal, and because we come from rival houses it's an even bigger deal to establish a friendship between us. _

_And yes, it is a friendship. You may think I'm under some spell but Draco just gets me. Don't ask me to explain it, because even I don't have the answer to that. He is sitting here now soaking his feet and making preparations for the show. He is sending me some very pissed off looks. I think he knows I'm talking about him._

Hermione paused with the quill poised above the parchment. She looked up at Draco who was sitting on the end of her bed with his feet in a bucket of ice and piles of shopping on the bed behind him.

"My parents are due to be out tomorrow, why don't we start skating?" he asked her.

"First we have to prepare the boots. And I don't know if my feet will be up to it."

"It wasn't that bad."

"That's because you and your father got to go home halfway through. Why do I have to be so nice?"

"Because you're a Gryffindor. It was your choice to sacrifice yourself to save us."

"And it was a lovely thing to do for us poor souls." A voice from the doorway revealed Lucius smiling down at them. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Hermione enthused waving him into the room. He came in and sat himself on the couch. "I would just like to say that I think this show idea of yours is a marvellous idea. But."

"Oh dear," Draco said. "Nothing ever good comes from that little word."

"How very true. It is nothing, but you will have to postpone the rehearsals, only by a few days. You are expected at the Zambini's party tomorrow."

Draco groaned. Hermione shot him a look. "I thought you liked Blaise Zambini?"

"Not since the ferret episode. Right son?"

"Oh. What happened?" Hermione asked enthusiastically.

"Reel in the eagerness please." Draco frowned.

"Sorry."

"After the Moody impostor turned me into the ferret in fourth year all I wanted was for people to forget it."

"But it was such a great moment. It made Ron happy for a week. Sorry. My guess is that Blaise didn't let it go?"

"Not only that. He learnt the spell."

"Ah."

"Exactly. Every time he wants one up on me he turns me into a cute white ferret." Hermione got up from the desk and went to sit beside him. Lucius watched them carefully.

"But we have to go to this party tomorrow." Hermione looked gloomy. "But on the bright side. I'll be there."

He looked into her eyes and took her hand. "It's a start."

Lucius chucked contentedly. "Oh before I forget, Cissy asked me to give you two this." He got up and crossed to them and handed Hermione a sheet of parchment.

"What's this?"

"It's a list of the upcoming events that we all have to attend, by order of Mrs Malfoy. We have to find a way to get through them. Or at least make them more bearable. If you have any ideas, please let me know."

"Lucius!" they heard Narcissa shout from somewhere.

"She'll want to try on the outfits for me. She does this every time she makes me go shopping with her."

Hermione looked at Lucius' depressed face and stood up, gathering her shopping bags.

"What's going on?" Draco asked.

"Sacrifice." She said shortly. "I'm sparing your father."

"You're going for the fitting?"

"So he doesn't have to. She said that we would probably do it this way this year. I get the feeling she likes having another female presence in the house."

"Hermione, are you an angel?"

"Hardly. Close though; I'm a Gryffindor. It's the kind of thing we do. Plus, it's a girl thing. And I don't think you boys can cope with any more girl stuff today."

Draco laughed. "You can say that again. The woman really knows how to torture the men in her family."

"It is our nature." Hermione smirked the Malfoy smirk at them as she left the room.

"Where did she learn to do that?" Lucius asked. "I thought we copyrighted it?"

"We did. Her diary says she's been watching me smirk it for so long that she's learnt how to do it too."

"Not surprising. Hang on…you read her diary?"

"Dad, what house am I in?"

"Slytherin…ah."

Lucius sniggered at his son and then went back to his study. Draco chuckled to himself before going back into his room with his shopping.

Three hours later Hermione stumbled into his room. He looked up from his desk as she fell onto his bed and groaned.

"That bad was it?" he tried not to chuckle.

"You have no idea." She said face downwards. "If it's alright by you, I think I'll just lie here and die."

Here Draco felt he was allowed a laugh so he did. "I think mother would have a few problems with that if you did."

"Hm? If you could just wake me up when it's time to go back to school, that'd be great."

"You'll recover."

Hermione laughed humourlessly and pulled herself up to the pillows. She felt something under one of them and pulled it out. "Where did you get this?"

"I, found it." he said hesitantly, knowing he was in deep shit.

"This is mine." She held up her diary.

"I meant to give it back."

"But you didn't. Why?"

"I don't know."

"If you tell me that you read it, I will go back to hating you."

"I didn't read it. I promise."

Hermione hesitated and worked to get herself up off the bed. Wincing on painful feet she hobbled to the door. In the doorway she turned back to him. "I believe you, for now. Innocent until proven guilty."

Draco waited until she had left before burying his head in his hands. "Or guilty until proven innocent."


End file.
